Valter Longo's low‑protein longevity diet extends healthy lifespan in mice

Researchers led by Italian scientist Valter Longo, working with collaborators at the University of Southern California, University of Toronto and Harvard University, reported that a low‑protein, Mediterranean‑style diet supplemented with small amounts of the amino acid methionine extended healthy lifespan in mouse studies. The diet, termed the “longevity diet,” emphasized vegetables, fish and limited protein, and was associated with reduced fat mass, lower frailty and favorable cardiometabolic biomarkers such as increased GLP‑1. Findings were published in Cell Metabolism and echo earlier human data linking plant‑rich, low‑protein eating patterns to lower obesity and type‑2 diabetes risk.

The study highlights the potential of modulating specific amino acids, rather than total protein quantity, as a strategic target for metabolic and ageing interventions, while noting that results in mice may not directly translate to humans.